


duel identities

by liionne



Series: Tumblr Prompts [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky is a little shit, M/M, as is steve tbh, shared identities, shield are confused af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 03:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4376060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liionne/pseuds/liionne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>canon-divergence prompt? Steve stays skinny post-serum so the SSR branded the civilian identities of PR icons "Captain America" and "Bucky" as classified because they were actually joint titles shared by Steve and Bucky during the war. Depending on the mission, they periodically switched identities although Bucky always had to be CA (cowl on) during PR. After they crashed the Valkyrie, their identities were never declassified. Seventy years later, SHIELD is confused AF and Bucky is enjoying it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	duel identities

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this wasn't written particularly well, but hey ho. Comments are welcome!

_A disappointment_ , a senator had said as they opened up that machine to find Steve no bigger and no taller than he had been before. He was still little, and still skinny, but when he staggered out of the capsule and into Peggy Carter’s waiting arms, he nearly bowled her over entirely.

When a shot rang out, killing Doctor Erskine, it was little, skinny Steve Rogers who ran across half of Brooklyn to catch him, hot on his heels, before the bastard swallowed a cyanide capsule, and dropped dead. The coward’s way out.

But regardless, two things were now apparent: Little Steve Rogers  _looked_  no different. But Little Steve Rogers  _was_  a hell of a lot different.

~*~

 

“We can’t call you Captain America.” Some government official guy, Irwin, said, head shaking. “It just wouldn’t instill confidence in the American people if a 90 pound asthmatic was leading the war effort.”

“I’m not asthmatic anymore.” Steve pointed out, but he was ignored.

“Due to your closeness and your placement in the same regiment, we’re teaming you up with Sergeant Barnes. The lead on any mission will be given the title  _Captain America_  - the support,  _Bucky Barnes_. For PR, Sergeant Barnes will wear the uniform, and the cowl.” The officer looks between both him and Bucky. “Any questions.”

After sharing a smug smile, they shake their heads. “Absolutely none.” Bucky answers.

~*~

Their identities are a complete secret. When Captain America is two different men, he’s incredibly hard to catch, and that’s the way the army want it. They work in tandem. Steve is good for espionage, for sneaking into small spaces and listening in, or freeing groups of prisoners by sneaking inside and undoing the locks. Bucky, meanwhile, is good for morale, for charging into places with his men, taking out as many HYDRA agents as he can, and fighting hard.

In 1945, they crash the Valkyrie together, falling into the arctic. Steve is out with the impact, and Bucky only has time to wrap his arms tight around him as he drifted off to sleep.

~*~

Bucky wakes up in a hospital room, somewhere he doesn’t know, and he blinks. He didn’t expect to be awake right now. He didn’t expect to be awake at  _all_.

The hospital lights are harsh, bright, and once he’s used to them, Bucky looks around to see things he’s never even seen before. Machines, all beeping and flashing, a weird screen in one corner, and a window showing him a landscape of towering skyscrapers.

But then, he looks to his right, and he sees Steve. His Steve, so little but so strong, not a single mark on him. He shifts in bed, and Bucky is by his side immediately, holding his hand.

When those beautiful blue eyes open, he thinks he could cry.

“Hey,” Steve croaks, giving the hands Bucky has wrapped around his own a gentle squeeze.

“Hey.” Bucky echoes, and they grin at each other.

The door opens not two seconds after to reveal two men: one, wearing an eye patch and a long, black coat, the other in a business suit, sporting a goatee. Bucky regards them both as Steve sits up, looking back at them.

“Captain,” The one with the eye patch addresses Bucky. “Sergeant.” He says to Steve.

“Or vice versa.” The other guy asks. 

The man with the eye patch ignores him. “Welcome to the 21st century.”

~*~

After a hell of a lot of things have been explained, Steve and Bucky are sat opposite those two men, and a woman in the corner who seems to be taking notes on something or other - not a pad and pen, that’s for sure. Steve looks at them both, and then takes Bucky’s hand under the table.  _It’s going to be okay._

“We’re met with a bit of a conundrum, gentleman.” Fury says, setting some files down onto the table. “All of our PR photos of Captain America show a man fitting  _your_ description.” He wags a finger at Bucky. “But a lot of the files describe Captain America climbing into air conditioning vents, fitting through tight spaces, and carrying out  _espionage_. So unless air conditioning vents and tight spaces were loose terms during the war, we’re guessing it wasn’t you.”

“You don’t know?” Bucky asks, looking at them both, and then at Steve. He’s absolutely dying to laugh. Steve gave him a similar grin.

“No.” Stark answers. “But I’m glad you both find it so funny. Want to let us in on the joke?”

“Your identities were never declassified.” Fury explains, again as if Stark had never spoken. “Which means we still have no idea which one of you is Captain America.”

Steve looks at them both. “I’m Captain America.” He says, watching both men opposite sag, though they do look a little quizzical. “But so’s he.”

Bucky bursts into laughter at the way they both obviously hold back groans, leaning his head back for a second. He can see Stark is about to say something when he looks up, but Fury must interrupt him. “You can’t  _both_  be Captain America.” He argues.

Steve shrugs. “Well, we are.”

Bucky really can’t breathe for laughter. Their faces just look so confused, so bemused, like they really have no clue what’s going on. And they don’t. Which only makes it better.

“Please, one of you, enlighten me.”

Steve looks to Bucky, and gives a nod. When Bucky has wiped the tears from his eyes, he says, “He’s Steve Rogers, and I’m Bucky Barnes. We’re both Captain America - but sometimes he’s Bucky Barnes, depending on the mission.”

Now they look even more confused, and Bucky can only giggle. Well. He did try, didn’t he?

They let them go without truly figuring out who they are, leaving them in a room in Stark Tower. Steve makes Bucky promise to tell them the full story in the morning, but for now, Bucky spends his time imitating their confused faces, and giggling until his own has turned red.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts, questions and comments can be sent to [my tumblr](http://achaiion.tumblr.com)


End file.
